Dioscorea petelotii Prain & Burkill (Dioscoreaceae): A new record for Thailand and the discovery of male and female flowers

Abstract

Dioscorea petelotii Prain & Burkill, previously known only from the type specimen collected in Vietnam, has been discovered growing in hill evergreen forest in N and NE Thailand. The type consists only of terminal shoot stems, leaves, and immature capsules. The collection of specimens with underground organs, stem bases and inflorescences of both sexes has allowed a full description and illustrations of this species to be provided. The possible relationships of D. petelotii are re-evaluated using the newly available morphological data.